The cardinal is about 7.75 centimeters tall with red feathers. It lives in towns, cities and woodland areas. It has a loud whistling song. The cardinal is known for being very visible during winter because of its red feathers. It is commonly found throughout the eastern United States. The cardinal was named after Catholic Cardinals who wore bright red robes. The cardinal became the state bird of Indiana in 1993.

The peony plant is 2-3 feet tall with flowers that have large red, white, pink, or yellow petals. It grows in Asia, Europe, and North America. The peony is known for decorating gravesites for Memorial Day. The peony was brought to the U.S. from England around 1800, but it was originally from China. The peony became the state flower of Indiana on March 15, 1957. 

The tulip tree is 80-150 feet tall with green leaves.  It grows in rich dark soil.  The wood of the tulip tree is known for making veneer, canoes, and furniture. The wood of the tulip tree is important to the state of Indiana because it was useful to the Native Americans and the early settlers who used its wood to make canoes and furniture.  The tulip tree became the state tree of Indiana in 1931.    

The Indiana flag has a blue background with a picture of a torch surrounded by 19 stars in the center. The word Indiana appears on the top of the torch. The 13 small stars stand for the first 13 colonies. The larger stars stand for the next five states admitted to the union after the original 13 colonies. There is also a picture of a large star on the top of the torch. This is the symbol of Indiana. This is important because Indiana was not one of the 13 colonies. It is the 19th state. The picture of the torch is a symbol of liberty and enlightenment. The Indiana flag was adopted in 1917.

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